ECCU Awards $24,000 in Scholarships

June 18, 2015
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ECCU_2015_ScholarshipRecipientsECCU recognized the 2015 scholarship award recipients at a reception held on June 13, 2015 at the credit union. Fifteen of the 21 recipients attended the event and are shown here. Front Row (left to right): Alexanderia Kiser, Arianna Wilder, Autumn Rohr, Ashley Algarin, Michaela Niefert, Maya Ablao. Back Row (left to right): Nathan Miner, Clark Crenshaw, Daniel Christensen, Havier Roller, Evan Semrau, Zachary Montague, Trenton Monroe, Estevan Martinez, Noah Aleman. Not pictured: Holly Conner, Katelyn Kring, Justin Penny, Kalli Sternaman, Sydney Swope, Austin Zeitler. KALAMAZOO, Mich. � Educational Community Credit Union (ECCU) held a reception on June 13 in recognition of 21 outstanding students who received $24,000 in scholarships. A total of $364,000 has been awarded to graduating high school seniors through ECCUs scholarship program, which was established in 1999 to enhance the educational opportunities and advancement of the credit unions member/owners. Scholarships are awarded annually to high school seniors who not only demonstrate academic achievement, but community involvement, extracurricular activities and financial need. The 2015 ECCU Scholarship Awards Ceremony was held at ECCUs Main Office on 9th Street in Kalamazoo with 15 of the 21 recipients and their families in attendance. ECCUs Board Chairman, David Aubry, presided over the ceremony, while President and CEO, Julie Blitchok, and board members Richard Cahow and Barbara Winter presented the eighteen $1,000 and three $2,000 scholarships. The $2,000 scholarships were created and named the Robert E. Treloar Scholarship and the Donna vanWestrienen Scholarship in honor of two individuals for their dedicated service on ECCUs Board of Directors for over 20 years, and the Robert S. Hunt Scholarship in honor of ECCUs retired President/CEO who led the credit union for 30 years. The $2,000 Robert E. Treloar Scholarship was awarded to Daniel Christensen. Daniel graduated from Gull Lake High School and plans to attend Kalamazoo Valley Community College to major in Geological Engineering.   The $2,000 Donna vanWestrienen Scholarship was awarded to Michaela Niefert. Michaela graduated from Portage Northern High School and plans to pursue Social Work at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The $2,000 Robert S. Hunt Scholarship was awarded to Justin Penny. Justin graduated from Portage Northern High School and plans to pursue Business at Kalamazoo College. Eighteen $1,000 scholarship awards were given to each of the following recipients (their high schools and academic plans are as follows): Maya Ablao,�Portage Northern High School, Michigan Technological University, Audio Production?&?Technology. Noah Aleman, Portage Northern High School, University of Michigan, Spanish and Pre-Med Ashley Algarin, Otsego High School, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Medical Field Holly Conner, Portage Central High School, Indiana Wesleyan University, Pediatric Nursing Clark Crenshaw, Gull Lake High School, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Nursing Alexanderia Kiser, Three Rivers High School, Andrews University, Interior Design Katelyn?Kring, Portage Central High School, Michigan Technological University, Geological Engineering Estevan?Martinez, Portage Central High School, Michigan State University, Pre-Med Nathan Miner, Hudsonville High School, Kendall College of Art?&?Design, Illustration or Industrial Design Trenton Monroe, Plainwell High School, Olivet College, Actuarial Sciences Zachary Montague, Mattawan High School, Grand?Valley?State University, Secondary Education Autumn?Rohr, Otsego High School, University of Northwestern?Ohio, Automotive Technology Havier Roller, Kalamazoo?Central High School, Berklee College of Music, Music Composition Evan Semrau, Mattawan High School, Western Michigan University, Mechanical Engineering Kalli Sternaman, Three Rivers High School, Kalamazoo?College, Biology Sydney Swope, Pinckney?High School, Grand Valley State University, Nursing Arianna Wilder, Decatur High School, Southwestern Michigan College, Photography Austin Zeitler, Portage Central High School, Michigan State?University, Engineering ECCU would like to extend their congratulations to all 2015 high school graduates and their families, and wish them great success as they begin their collegiate careers this fall. With seven convenient locations, ECCU is a full-service financial institution serving anyone who lives or works in a 21-county area in West Michigan. For details about the credit union, visit www.eccu1.org. ___________ About ECCU Established in 1935, ECCU has grown from serving only Kalamazoo school employees, to serving the greater educational community, to now providing a full range of financial products and services to anyone who lives, works, worship or attends school in any of our 21 Michigan counties. The credit union exceeds $419 million in assets and serves more than 37,200 members. Visit eccu1.org to learn for yourself why ECCU just feels right, and our members feel right at home.    
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